


Deepest Blue

by saltylikecrait



Series: Folklore Verse [2]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Gods & Goddesses, Alternate Universe - Mythology, F/M, Folklore, Nature Magic, Ocean, Prince Finn (Star Wars), Whales
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-22
Updated: 2020-02-22
Packaged: 2021-02-27 19:27:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,746
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22850968
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/saltylikecrait/pseuds/saltylikecrait
Summary: The ocean holds many secrets.
Relationships: Finn/Rey (Star Wars)
Series: Folklore Verse [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1642702
Comments: 6
Kudos: 16
Collections: Finnrey Fanfic Connection





	Deepest Blue

**Author's Note:**

> This is a continuation of the AU multi-chapter, _The Memory of Wild Things._ If you have not read it yet, I suggest doing so, as this fic doesn't go deep into explanations on the lore of this universe. You can find the fic in the series link above.

“Finn, it’s not going to hurt you. Just concentrate.”

He stared at his hands where the small flame just vanished almost as quickly as it appeared. They trembled slightly, his fear of unstable fire magic resurfacing.

Rey watched him, biting her lower lip. She wasn’t frustrated with him, but she was growing closer. Fire magic came naturally to her, almost the same way water magic was for him. It was like there was always one element that someone struggled with, and fire was his.

Staring at her and the blue sky and ocean behind her, Finn found the scene picturesque. For the first time in months he was back in his homeland, this time with the one woman he wanted to be by his side. 

Her eyes were wide with wonder the first time she got a glimpse of the sea. She might be centuries old, but the Goddess of Wild Things was bound to her forest for her own safety. Rey had never seen an ocean before. There was a lot she had never seen.

Prince Finn wanted to show her the world and vowed to with the help of his snow-gray steed Tornan, who was resting among sea grass quietly behind the campsite. He was a loyal gelding, steady and with a gentle personality, traits his rider prized over everything else. His sister loved her spirited, athletic horses who flew over fields and jumps. Finn just wanted something that would get him to where he needed to go and do it without much fuss.

Looking back at his hands, he thought maybe he should try to relax more before trying again. “I think I want to take a walk,” he announced. “Get my mind off things and try again later.”

She tutted. “Why do it today when you can do it tomorrow?” she said, bluntly and not at all amused.

“Perfect,” Finn teased. “We’re in agreement.”

Her footsteps kept in sync with his as he headed towards the shoreline. “What are you frightened of,” she called out. “You’re safe with me.” Her voice crackled. She was hurt.

Guilt welled inside him. She was only trying to help. Finn should count his blessings that not only was an experienced magic user was teaching him, but that a literal goddess who had learned from one of the most ancient of beings was on his side.

“The first time I tried using fire magic, I almost set my room on fire,” he confessed with a sigh. “I hated that feeling… Not having control over my magic.”

Rey’s hand brushed over his arm. Her warmth was comforting, gentle. Finn leaned into her, realizing she wasn’t angry with him.

“You know, the ocean is very beautiful at sunset,” she commented. “It almost makes me forget how dangerous it really is.”

“Is it so dangerous for an immortal?” he asked.

“Sometimes,” she mused. “And you see, I never quite learned how to control water magic either. Can you imagine how bad that would be for me to get caught in danger while in water?”

Finn grimaced. “Yeah, that sounds bad.”

“And it only took one time for me to really understand how important it was to gain a control on all the elements.” She linked their hands together, their fingers tangled, and turned to look at him in the eyes. “If it weren’t for the Mother Goddess, you wouldn’t be here right now. My water magic was too weak to heal you.”

Every time he looked at his right shoulder, where the ragged line of a scar ran down towards his chest, Finn was reminded of how close he was of falling victim to the God of Greed. He knew Rey regretted her failings with her magic that day, but he couldn’t find it in himself to be angry with her for what the god did. She tried her best.

He leaned in to kiss her on her cheek. “You know I don’t blame you for that.”

“I know, but it still frightens me.”

It made Finn think about a scenario where they were in danger again, where he needed to use his magic to control a fire. He didn’t doubt Rey could handle herself, but what if they were separated? 

She was right; he needed to learn to control his magic, even the parts he didn’t care for.

“Would you be up to trying again?” he asked her. “Teaching me, I mean.”

“Of course.” Rey smiled.

* * *

He didn’t master fire magic in an hour, but Finn at least became more comfortable holding flames in the palm of his hands. Against his skin, the fire felt warm, but not so much that it would burn him. If he were to toss the flame at someone else, however, they would burn just like any other human.

“This isn’t so bad, I guess,” he admitted finally.

Grinning, Rey shot him a knowing look. “Not at all. You might struggle to really use fire the way I struggle with water, but no one’s perfect.”

Finn rolled his eyes. “Says a literal goddess.”

“Except, I was once mortal too,” she reminded him. “Unlike you, I didn’t have magic until I became a goddess.”

They hadn’t spoken about the potential for his own immortality for a while. Eventually, he knew they would have to. It loomed over their relationship. Some days, the prince put the thought of godhood behind him, and it was easy with how human Rey behaved, but he was constantly reminded that if she was the one for him, one day, he would find himself healing rapidly after every injury and his aging process halting. How weird it would be to watch his siblings grow old while he remained the same.

Despite their silence on the matter, Finn knew it would come up one day. He wasn’t sure exactly what he was afraid of over just talking about the subject, but he felt it every time Rey relayed a story about her life and her eyes grew tired. 

That was what frightened him the most. Living forever seemed exhausting.

Suddenly, Rey’s focus shifted back to the ocean and she stood up, walking towards the cliff where they set up camp. She hadn’t known about things such as tides and Finn would rather their camp not get caught up with it. 

He got up to see what caught her attention and gaped when he looked over the cliff. 

“Woah.” In all his life, he had never seen the tide come in that quickly or that high. He looked out to the horizon, seeing the waves were uncharacteristically rough. These were conditions he’d see during a storm, not a calm spring night.

His ears were filled with not only the sound of crashing waves but also an echoing vocalization, the tone a low register that variated with timing.

A grin spread on Rey’s face. “This won’t last long,” she said, like a promise. “Your kingdom’s guardian has just come to check me out.”

“Guardian?” Finn felt his eyes widen. There were stories his people told about why no one could conquer Artorias by sea. A massive whale, given life and a purpose by prayers and offerings, would ram enemy naval ships down, protecting its domain and those who lived within it.

Ruarc, the god of the warm waters of the Artorian sea.

Rey nodded. “He felt our magic, my strength. Guardian gods always want to know who is in their territory.” She shot him a grin. “It’s why I was watching you at my shrine the day we met. Don’t need another magician trying to burn down my forest.”

There was another story he needed to ask her about. They didn’t return to Finn’s home just to enjoy the scenery. He wanted to present a manuscript of myths and legends to his family, hoping his father would give permission for the royal scribes to make copies and distribute them among the major settlements to start. Queen Maz in Takodana already agreed to the idea.

This was the best way he could think of saving Rey from fading away. As long as the world had access to these books, Rey’s stories would always be remembered. That wasn't the only reason why they were returning though. There was something Finn wanted to ask her, but he had to bring it up with his parents first. Even if they didn't agree, he would still ask, but it would be nice to have his family's approval. 

She walked back to their campsite, going over to the saddle left hanging over a fallen log. Her lioness mask hung against the saddle bags, pushed to the side as she dug through them and retrieved a dried sprig of pine she took from her forest to remind her of home. Snapping off a small bit of the top, she put the rest back into the bag and returned to the cliff.

“An offering,” she explained, holding the pine and a half of an oyster shell she found earlier on the beach. “So he knows I’m no threat to my lover’s kingdom.”

Moving down the slope of the cliff, she walked until she was close enough to the water’s edge that she could place the oyster shell with the pine resting in it on the waves. 

Almost as suddenly as the waves grew high, they calmed, receding and taking the oyster shell with it.

Rey waited with Finn as they watched the shell drift deeper out to see. He didn’t know what she was waiting for, but he was curious to find out.

A spout of water burst from the sea, spraying skyward as a massive whale emerged. Its bumpy gray skin, covered in barnacles, reflected wet in the silver moonlight.

“Do you know his name?” she asked.

“We call him Ruarc,” Finn replied.

The whale god stared as the shell came to eye level with him, as microscopic as it was compared to the enormous creature. He groaned a note of song one more time, and then, as if appeased by Rey’s offering, descended to the depths below.

“He is more magnificent than I ever imagined,” Finn admitted.

Rey shot him a glance. “More magnificent than me?” she teased.

The prince stuttered. “Wha- You know what I mean!”

She laughed. “Oh, Finn, I’m just kidding you.” Taking him by the hand, she walked them back to their campsite, where the warmth of their bedrolls and the fire was calling for them.

**Author's Note:**

> I imagine Finn is from a seaside kingdom that has had tons of luck with warfare in that no army has ever invaded them by land or sea. This story somewhat goes into the reason behind why. Finn's kingdom is pretty devoted to their gods and they reward them for being so.
> 
> Humpback whales are known for their songs, of course, but I struggled with whether or not I should give a gender to this god. I imagine not all gods in this universe have a gender identity or are associated with both male and female traits, especially in the cases where their animal avatars do not have many differential traits between sexes. When doing a bit more research on whales, however, I learned that only male Humpbacks make the songs they're associated with, and decided to go ahead and make this god male.


End file.
